2006 Football Roster

RB

Drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round ( overall) of the 2007 NFL draft...

CAREER: Saw action in 46 games at Florida, with 16 starts…Paced UF in rushing yards during his final two seasons…Finished tied for sixth on the school's all-time list for rushing touchdowns with 25…

2006: Led the Gators with 699 yards rushing on 143 attempts for a 4.9 yard-average and scored six rushing touchdowns (tied for ninth in the SEC)…Caught six passes for 58 yards, an 9.7-yard average…Ranked 13th in the SEC in rushing with 49.9 yards per game and was eighth with 699 yards…Closed his career by gaining a team-high 69 yards on 19 carries and scored on a two-yard touchdown run in the 41-14 win over Ohio State…Had one rushing attempt and lost two yards against Arkansas in the SEC Championship Game…Held to 10 yards on nine carries by Florida State, with a long of eight yards…Celebrated Senior Day by scoring two touchdowns and carrying the ball four times for 32 yards against Western Carolina…Became the 13th Gator to reach 2,000 yards rushing when he scored on a seven-yard TD run in the first quarter versus the Catamounts…Paced the Orange and Blue with 90 yards on 12 rushes (7.5 avg.) against South Carolina, including a long of 21 yards…Had one reception for 10 yards versus the Gamecocks…Had a team-best 64 yards on 15 attempts (4.3 avg.), with a long run of 22 yards, in the 25-19 victory at Vanderbilt…Totaled 36 yards on eight carries in the win over Georgia and helped the Gators run out the clock by converting a 3rd down and 4 late in the contest…Had 46 yards on a team-high 11 carries, including a 16-yard run, at Auburn…Played on the final snap of the LSU game despite an injured knee…Paced the Gators for the third game in a row in rushing with 50 yards on 12 carries…His longest run was 15 yards…Caught one pass for a season-high 15 yards during the third quarter in the matchup with the Tide…Matched his season-high of 104 yards on 14 carries and scored on a 13-yard run in the 26-7 win over Kentucky…The effort marked the first time in his Gator career Wynn exceeded the century mark in consecutive games…Went over 100 yards five times in his career…Carried a career-high 22 times for a season-high 104 yards, with a season-long of 26 yards, in Florida’s win at Tennessee…Sealed the victory over the Vols by gaining a first down on 3rd and 6 that enabled UF to run out the clock…Carried nine times for 51 yards versus UCF and scored on an eight-yard run for his 21st career rushing TD…Rushed for 45 yards on seven carries against Southern Miss, highlighted by a 24-yard gain on his first carry of the season…Scored the 20th rushing TD of his career with a three-yard run in the second quarter that put the Gators ahead to stay…Had one catch for eight yards from Chris Leak….

2005: Appeared in 11 games, missing only the season opener against Wyoming, with six starts (Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, LSU, Georgia and Vanderbilt)…Led the Gators with 621 rushing yards, averaging 4.8 yards per carry (tied for 16th in the SEC) and had seven rushing touchdowns (tied for sixth in the SEC)…Caught 12 passes for 161 yards, a 13.4-yard average and two touchdowns during the season…Went over the century mark for the third time in his career with a career-high 109 yards on a career-high 19 carries in the 14-10 victory over Georgia…Reached the end zone four times against Kentucky, with a 16-yard TD reception and scored on runs of three yards and one yard twice…Became the 15th Gator to score four TDs in a game and accomplished the feat twice in his career (also vs. FAMU, 2003)…Gained 34 yards on eight rushes and caught one pass for two yards in the Outback Bowl meeting with Iowa…Had 11 rushes for a team-high 73 yards (6.6 avg.) at South Carolina, with a long run of 19 yards…Wynn averaged 5.8 yards per carry at LSU and 5.7 yards per carry against UGA, marking the second time in his career (and the first time against SEC foes) that he averaged 5.0 yard per carry or more in back-to-back contests…Totaled 93 yards rushing on 16 carries and had a one-yard TD against LSU…Had a then-career-high 17 carries for 53 yards and caught one pass for 17 yards versus Tennessee…Broke through the Vols' defensive line for a 16-yard run on UF's touchdown drive…Responsible for all 57 of Florida's yards on its opening scoring drive versus Louisiana Tech, including a team season-best jaunt of 50 yards…

2004: Saw action in eight games for 201 plays…Missed the Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Florida State and Miami (Fla.) games due to a groin injury suffered against Georgia…Rushed for a season-high 81 yards, and matched career-highs in carries (15) and touchdowns (three) against Middle Tennessee State…Caught a career-long 37-yard pass to establish a career high in single-game receiving yards and set a new career-long reception against Mississippi State…Ran for 59 yards and scored a touchdown on career-best 15 attempts versus Tennessee…

2003: Saw time in all 13 games at running back and on special teams for 323 plays…Scored a team-high eight touchdowns, rushing for 540 yards on 115 carries (4.7 avg.) and seven touchdowns…Also had 12 receptions for 82 yards (6.8 avg.), including an 18-yard catch and a touchdown…Ranked second on the team with 115 carries and third with 540 rushing yards…His seven rushing touchdowns ranked third in school history (Emmitt Smith had 13 in 1987 and Fred Taylor had eight in 1994) by a freshman running back in school history…His 540 rushing yards ranked ninth in school history by Gator a freshman running back…Saw 275 plays on offense, the second-highest total among UF running backs…Was one of two Gator backs to have over 100 carries on the season and one of three to have totaled over 500 rushing yards…Was part of only the second trio of backs in UF history to rush for 500 or more yards in the same season, combining with Ran Carthon and Ciatrick Fason for 1,718 rushing yards (Neal Anderson, J.L. Williams and Lorenzo Hampton each rushed for 500+ yards in 1984)…His 24 points versus FAMU tied for the most points scored in a single game by a freshman RB in the nation in 2003…Led the team in rushing attempts in six games (FAMU, Tennessee, Kentucky, LSU, Arkansas, Georgia) and rushing yards four games (Miami, FAMU, Tennessee, Georgia)…His 65-yard TD run against Miami (Fla.) was the second-longest rush by a Gator during the season…Set a UF freshman record and tied a school total by scoring 24 points versus FAMU…Had three rushing touchdowns and one touchdown reception and was named UF’s Offensive Player of the Week…The point total was the second-highest individual tally in the SEC, along with four touchdowns in a game…Wynn's three rushing touchdowns was also the second-highest total of the year in the league…Had a breakout game against Miami (Fla.), carrying the ball eight times for 100 yards, the first 100-yard game of his career…Became only the fourth RB in UF history to rush for a 100-yard game by the second contest as a freshman (Tony Green in 1974, Emmitt Smith in 1987 and Earnest Graham in 1999)…Exploded around the right side of the line for a career-best 65-yard touchdown run on the opening play of the second half against the Hurricanes…Scored his sixth rushing touchdown on the season versus Arkansas and amassed 52 yards on a team-best 12 carries…Had a key first down with a 14-yard carry in the final offensive drive against No. 4 Georgia that set up the winning FG…Finished the night with a team-best 13 carries for 42 yards…Rushed for the Gators’ final touchdown in the 24-22 win over USC, a 10-yard carry…

2002: Worked with the scout team offense…One of seven freshmen to dress for the season-opener versus UAB…

PREP: Considered one of the nation’s elite prep running backs in 2001…Earned consensus All-America honors…Named to prestigious Parade All-America Team…National Bluechips ranked him No. 1 in the nation in its speed running back category…Chosen to PrepStar’s Dream Team and that publication ranked him among the nation’s top-12 rushers…Named to SuperPrep’s All-America Team and that publication ranked him among the country’s top-15 running backs…Ranked among the nation’s top-four running backs by Rivals.com…Ran for 2,000 yards in three of his four high school seasons and also registered at least 30 rushing TDs in three of four seasons…As a senior, he rushed for 2,283 yards (9.3 ypc) and 30 TDs…

PERSONAL: Was born on Oct. 9, 1983…His parents are Napoleon Smith and Michelle Wynn-Smith…

On his first carry at Reading, after transferring for his junior season, ran 80 yards for a touchdown. "He was so pumped up. It was the fastest I had seen a human being run in my life," Ken Minor, his high school coach said.

In a game vs. Finneytown H.S., DeShawn ran for 465 yards and seven touchdowns

Although he lived in Ohio, was a Gator fan

High school coach Ken Minor put together a highlight tape, sent to his brother Ed, who lives near Gainesville to hand deliver. Minor called a couple times before the coaches got to it, loved Wynn and offered.

What They Are Saying About DeShawn Wynn

"More and more freshman running backs around the country are coming in and playing. (Ohio State standout) Maurice Clarett and DeShawn were considered 1-2 from that area (Ohio). That shows you what kind of talent DeShawn has." (March 29, 2003)

"Nothing DeShawn Wynn does surprises me. DeShawn has a chance to be one of the greatest backs to ever play here. You often here him being compared to Fred Taylor. I think DeShawn is a great back and a great addition to this offense. I think you guys are just starting to see the beginnings of what he can do. He can do it all. He can make guys miss in the open field or he can run over you. When teams watch that and see the different things that he can do, they don't know what to expect when he comes out there. To have a guy like DeShawn on the team is great. Its another weapon." (September 9, 2003)Ran Carthon, Former UF Running Back

“The 224-pound Wynnis an extremely talented prospect who could play a huge role this season after lighting it up in spring practices. Ran Carthon is listed as Florida's starter, but that won't last long. At the very least, Wynn will be starter No. 1A after showing a breathtaking combination of speed and power. His emergence turns this decent corps of Gator running backs into something special.” (July 13, 2003) CBSSportsline.com

"DeShawn has all of it together. He’s got moves, he can run inside, outside. He can run over you, past you. He's the complete package." (July 10, 2003)Brian Crum, UF Linebacker

"DeShawn Wynn is beginning to establish himself as one of the best backs in the Southeastern Conference." (September 17, 2003)Michael DiRocco, Jacksonville Times-Union

"The things those two guys (Wynn and Fason) come out and do on a daily basis are unbelievable. Sometimes one looks faster, and sometimes the other one. I just know when they get into the open field, they're hard to catch." (April 10, 2003)Gavin Dickey, UF Quarterback

"He's a load. He's a great back. He's just hard to bring down. I think it's his lower body strength. He keeps his legs driving all the time." (September 17, 2003)Matt Farrior, Former UF Linebacker

"He's the quiet type. He's just bullish-headed and tries to run everyone over." (July 10, 2003)

"I call DeShawn 'Baby Fred.' I'm from Jacksonville and I know Fred Taylor. They both have a great size-speed combination and make plays." (September 15, 2003)Ciatrick Fason, Former UF Running Back

"The good ones aren't worried about competition. Competition brings out the best in them. But he has great size. He's thick and durable. He has great speed. He can make people miss or he can run over them. And he has good vision." (August 7, 2002)

"He's The Real Deal, no doubt about it. He has great speed, is strong, powerful, can make you miss or run over you. I'm excited about what he brings to the table. DeShawn's got a different personality than the rest of those guys. He's kind of quiet, laid-back a little but he's very confident in what he does. He knows his abilities." (March 6, 2003)Larry Fedora, Former UF Offensive Coordinator

"Wynn is the type of bruising back that never seems to be brought back down by the first hit." (April 10, 2003)

“DeShawn Wynn will be considered one of the best running backs to ever play for Florida by the time his career is over, and he will have a long NFL career, baring injury. He just has that look.” (May 25, 2003)JL Kirby, GatorBait Magazine

"I've had a chance to work with some pretty good tailbacks and he ranks up there with all of them." (April 13, 2003)

"DeShawn probably is the most athletic of the three (Fason, Wynn, Walker). He has tremendous balance, power and speed." (March 29, 2003)

"This is probably the most talented group of tailbacks I've been associated with. I've got four guys who, when given the opportunity, can make plays." (March 29, 2003)

"I say it all the time, he has great body control, then he has the ability to burst. He has a tremendous amount of acceleration, he catches the ball well and he's a low center of gravity runner that allows him to break a lot of tackles. So when you combine all those athletic skills and the fact that he's a real competitive and an aggressive guy, I think he makes a total, complete back." (September 17, 2003)Mike Locksley, Former UF Running Backs coach

"DeShawn has incredible ability. Besides his explosiveness and his speed and strength, he has wonderful field vision. Everything kind of slows down for him and he is able to pick the right holes. What he's done is just the tip of the iceberg of what he is capable of doing." (September 17, 2003)Ken Minor, Reading HS coach

"We were watching film and I said, 'Man, turn that thing off, we don't need to see any more of that guy.' He was tough to tackle every time he touched the ball. He's as good as I've seen in awhile." (September 17, 2003)Larry Slade, Tennessee secondary coach

"He made the biggest impact of any player on the roster. What a terrific runner. This guy is fast, strong, elusive, tough and a threat to go the distance when he gets into the open field. He looks like a budding star." (April 21, 2003)

"Watch out for Wynn. All of UF's running backs are powerfully built and fast, but he has that indefinable "it" factor. On second thought, maybe it is definable. He picks his holes well, explodes through them and is a load to tackle on the open field, simply looking natural with the ball in his hands." (August 28, 2003)Guerry Smith, GatorBait

"I don't know what it is about DeShawn Wynn. He has a little explosion. He has a knack. He runs extremely well, he's a big, strong guy. He can carry the football. He really has a chance to be a big-play back for us." (April 21, 2003)

"He's a guy who is very, very talented. As he learns more and more he is going to become better and better. And the better he becomes and the more we want to get the ball in his hands." (September 17, 2003)Ron Zook, Former UF Head Coach

“DeSwhawn was probably misunderstood. I don’t see any attitude problem. These guys are giving me everything I’m asking them to do right now.” Stan Drayton, UF Running Backs Coach

“DeShawn does have tremendous speed and size and great quickness. He’s worked on becoming a mentally, physically tough player. That is what makes you great. There are very few great players who have been mentally and physically soft, especially at running back. If you look at the Hall of Fame, Walter Payton certainly wasn’t a five-star recruit coming out of high school, but he had an awful lot of heart and mental and physical toughness and ended up being successful. That part of it is what people don’t always see. DeShawn had the measurables, s if we get him pushed over the edge on the intangibles, he can break the long runs, he can make someone miss and he can run somebody over.” (July 2006)Dan Mullen, UF Offensive Coordinator

“DeShawn has got a long way to go, and right now DeShawn realizes that. That’s half the battle, realize that you’re not quite there yet. You still have to come and work here every single day. You have to give it up from start to finish. He’s trying to learn to do that.” (July 2006)Stan Drayton, UF Running Backs Coach

“DeShawn Wynn, in the springtime, did not miss one practice, he played hurt and played through a lot of adversity. He has come out this year and he has played at a tempo that I have never seen him practice at. He is doing everything I ask, without any backtalk whatsoever.” (8/14/06)Stan Drayton, UF Running Backs Coach

“DeShawn has a chance to be one of the greatest backs to ever play here. You often hear him being compared to Fred Taylor. I think DeShawn is a great back and a great addition to this offense. I think you guys are just starting to see the beginnings of what he can do.” (8/14/06)Ran Carthon, former Florida running back

"From the time I've been here to this point right now, DeShawn Wynn is a different person," said Gators running backs coach Stan Drayton, who came in with head coach Urban Meyer in 2005. "He's come out this year, and he's playing at a tempo I've never seen him practice at. He's doing everything that I asked without any back talk whatsoever, and he's allowing me to coach him the way I need to coach him to get him to where he needs to be. He's made drastic improvement." (8/28/06)Stan Drayton, UF Running Backs Coach

“The tailback, DeShawn Wynn, running for 100 yards, that doesn’t happen very often against that defense (Tennessee). It’s time he became a tailback, and he did. He’s a tailback at the University of Florida. I’ll let you know right now, he’s starting against Kentucky next week. (9/16/06)Urban Meyer, UF Head Coach

"We were going to give it to him, and it's time he became the tailback - and he did. He's the tailback at the University of Florida." (9/18/06)Urban Meyer, UF Head Coach

"He's a hard worker. He's a steady guy, and he's going to get those yards that you need. When we have a back that carries the ball like he does, that can get 25-30 carries a game, it takes a lot of pressure off the passing game...DeShawn Wynn is a great running back." (9/18/06)Chris Leak, UF Quarterback

"He said what was on his mind," Drayton said. "He wanted the football. It wasn't for a selfish reason at all. That was something we haven't seen from DeShawn Wynn. We've been waiting for that from those guys, for somebody to step up." (11/01/06)Stan Drayton, UF Running Backs Coach